The Carousel Backyard Ultra drew runners, supporters and volunteers from across the South Island for a demanding test of endurance and mental strength.
Co-directed by local runners Tom Heath and Hannah Presswood, the race began at 9am on April 11 and continued well beyond 24 hours, following a ‘‘last one standing’’ format.
Competitors tackled a 6.71km loop every hour on the hour, with no overall winner declared until only one runner remained able to complete a lap alone.
More than three-quarters of runners went further than they ever had before, something the organisers said was especially rewarding.
‘‘It’s been unbelievable,’’ they said.
Kieran Philips, of Cromwell, won the event, completing 56 laps and 375km, ending the event yesterday afternoon.
Brion Mathews, of Christchurch, placed second, completing 55 laps and covering 368km.
Paul Maxwell, of Dunedin, placed third, after a strong performance deep into the race.
The first-place finish was a back-to-back win for Philips, who also won last year’s event.
He would return next year and attempt to successfully defend his title again, he said.
Mathews said the experience had been as much about connection as competition, with runners spending long hours getting to know each other on the course.
‘‘Energy fluctuates but all the boys right now are pretty good,’’ he said.
‘‘We can stay positive, we can chat and it’s nice to break the monotony of the course we’ve run so many times.
‘‘We’re not trying to beat each other, we’re just wanting to work together and push the numbers up.
‘‘It’s just brilliant to be a part of.’’
At the end of the race, Mathews said he was ‘‘feeling really, really good and also completely rinsed’’.
Organiser Tom Heath noted how quickly the field had reduced from 75 starters.
He said the support crews were ‘‘just as essential as the runners’’.
With strong performances across all levels, organisers said they hoped the event would continue to grow as a key fixture in the Central Otago running calendar.
Standout performances came from across the field.
Maya Edmondson, 20, was the last female competitor standing, completing 34 laps — 228km — supported by her father, who completed 11 laps (73.8km) and her brother.
Competitors across a wide range of ages took part, including 15-year-old Sean Crawford, who completed 60.4km in his first ultra event and 73-year-old Ross Gatenby, who finished 40.2km.
Cromwell’s Nevaeh Reddy, 18, increased her distance from 40km last year to 80km this year, supported by her mother Tanya Reddy and members of her local gym, NRG.
